UA Basketball: Hogs release 2018-19 hoops slate

Nate Allen Sports Service

Friday

Aug 31, 2018 at 12:01 AM

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas Coach Mike Anderson announced Thursday the full Razorbacks' men's 2018-2019 basketball schedule will open Nov. 9 against the Texas Longhorns in a game waged at the Fort Bliss military base in El Paso, Texas.

After that, the Razorbacks host the likes of Indiana, Nov. 18; Georgia Tech, Dec. 19; Western Kentucky, Dec. 8 and University of California-Davis, Nov. 12 among others in eight home games plus hosting the University of Texas-San Antonio Dec. 15 at Verizon Arena in North Little Rock.

Aside from playing the Longhorns in El Paso, the Razorbacks hit the nonconference road to play Colorado State on Dec. 5 in Fort Collins, Colo. and for this season's annual SEC vs. Big 12 Challenge game visit Texas Tech on Jan. 26 in Lubbock, Texas.

Arkansas plays three preseason games at Walton, the Red-White intrasquad game Oct. 19 and exhibitions games against small colleges with Tusculum (Tenn.) on Oct. 26 and a still to be named opponent for a Nov. 2 exhibition date.

Arkansas returns 6-11 2017-18 All-SEC freshman Daniel Gafford as a sophomore centerpiece off last season's 23-12 team but otherwise for scholarship lettermen return only forwards Adrio Bailey, a junior logging 31 games with 16 starts, last season, and sophomore Gabe Osabuohien, 20 games off the bench last season.

The rest, other than junior walk-on Jonathan Holmes, will be all newcomers.

"It's going to be a challenging schedule, especially for a young basketball team," Anderson said. "They are going to have to grow up in a hurry."

All took UA classes during the summer and worked out at the Razorbacks' practice facility including limited team practices allowed by the NCAA.

"Obviously there are going to be peaks and valleys," Anderson said. "But one thing I like about this team is they compete."

Now indoctrinated in their fall semester classes, they start the arduous conditioning phase that will culminate in the dreaded runs up Cleveland Hill, among Fayetteville's steepest streets near campus.

Official practices begin in October leading into a nonconference slate that Anderson said may have his young Hogs taking some lumps but needing the competition to prepare for the SEC.

"You’re going to have at least six to eight teams that are probably going to be ranked in the SEC," Anderson said. "If you look at our league, it’s going to be really good. You have Kentucky, they’ll be one of those teams that’ll be ranked right out of the gates. Mississippi State returns a lot of people. Florida’s going to be good again. You can go on and on. Our league is going to be really, really good, so we have to be battled tested and be ready to hopefully take care of the home floor and go on the road and win some games."

Anderson's newcomers include one actually familiar with Razorbacks workouts.

Sophomore guard Jalen Harris practiced with the Razorbacks last season as a redshirting transfer from the University of New Mexico.

The remainder of the new cast is truly all new including one junior college transfer, sophomore guard Mason Jones of Connors State, and freshman Arkansans, Isaiah Joe, a guard from Fort Smith Northside; guard Desi Sills, Jonesboro; forward Ethan Henderson, Little Rock Parkview; and Ali Ibrahim, a forward from Maumelle.

Khalil Garland, a guard from Little Rock Parkview redshirted last season because of a medical condition, remains on the roster but is not yet cleared for full-time practices and workouts.

Anderson's Razorbacks operate with interim strength coaches while interviewing possible replacements for Adam Pettway, now a NBA strength coach with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Since coach Dave Van Horn's baseball Razorbacks announced Wednesday they are hosting the University of Arkansas-Little Rock and University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff, both in the UA system flagshipped by the UA's Fayetteville campus, Anderson was asked Thursday if future basketball schedules might include opponents from within the UA system.

It has been existing athletic policy in Fayetteville for the Razorbacks' football, baseball, men's basketball and women's basketball teams not to schedule other schools from Arkansas in the regular season.

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